Penne With Creamy Tomato Vodka Sauce

I love this recipe because it is simple to make but the results are delicious.

Ingredients

1 16-ounce package whole-wheat blend penne pasta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 cup chopped sweet onion

1 tablespoon minced or chopped garlic

1 28-ounce can Italian-style diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

1/4 cup vodka

1 cup fat-free half and half

1 cup low fat milk

1/2 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Step 1

Start a large pot of lightly salted water boiling. Add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain the noodles in a colander.

Step 2

Meanwhile, start heating the olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in the canned tomatoes (breaking up the tomatoes with a fork if using canned whole tomatoes). Stir in the crushed red pepper (if desired), basil, salt and pepper, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to simmer and let cook for 8-10 minutes more.

Step 3

Stir in the vodka and simmer 10 minutes more. Stir the fat-free half-and-half and milk into the tomato mixture and let the mixture simmer another 8-10 minutes. Toss the sauce with the hot penne pasta and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.